Libraries, Information, and Sustainability

A forum for discussion and action by the UW-Madison working group dealing with the relationship between library and information studies and global warming and sustainability issues. To become a member, email gdowney [at] wisc.edu. Members may post something new to the blog.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The upcoming Wisconsin Library Association meeting (November 4-7, Madison, Marriott West, Middleton) stresses the theme of sustainability. The keynote address on Wednesday, November 5th (9.00-10.00) is titled "Climate Change: Local to Global and Back Again," is by UW Professor Emeritus John Magnuson.

Another very relevant session titled "Managing Your Carbon Emissions: An Innovative, Wisconsin-Based Web Tool," is to be held at 10.45-12.00 on Thursday, November 6th.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

An article in the Cap Times today mentions that a UW-Madison engineering class recently performed an energy analysis on the Monroe Street Branch of the Madison Public Library. Great green savings ideas ... but enough money in the budget to implement them?

A study by students in Mike Oliva's sustainable design engineering class at University of Wisconsin-Madison last year found that the 47-year-old library could shave energy costs by using high-performance fluorescent light bulbs, natural lighting, double-pane windows, occupancy sensors for bathroom lights and fans and additional insulation. The students found, incredibly enough, that there was no insulation in the walls.

"The study was a good one, to look at an ancient building and see what you could do," said Library Director Barb Dimick. She thought some of the proposals, in fact, worthy enough to include in her 2009 capital budget.

"But now the operating budget is so bad that the whole thing is on hold," Dimick said.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

HIGHER education can’t resist a ranking: best college, best cafeteria, biggest endowment, biggest party school. It says something about what’s important on campus, then, that when the Princeton Review releases its annual guide to colleges this week, it will include a new metric: a “green rating,” giving points for things like “environmentally preferable food,” power from renewable sources and energy-efficient buildings.

Green is good for the planet, but also for a college’s public image. In a Princeton Review survey this year of 10,300 college applicants, 63 percent said that a college’s commitment to the environment could affect their decision to go there.

Grist Magazine, Forbes Magazine, the Princeton Review, and others are now ranking colleges and universities in part at least on "green" criteria. I wonder where UW-Madison will rank? I also wonder, how might libraries in all of these institutions contribute to a strong green score?

Up to two thirds of the electricity consumed by a PC is wasted, meaning the machine is on but not in use, according to the Department of Energy. The research firm Gartner estimates that 40 percent of the all carbon dioxide emissions resulting from information technology and telecommunications is attributable to PC’s. Data center servers, by contrast, represent 23 percent, though growing rapidly. (The rest is attributable to telecoms and printers.)

The solution? Simple software to put these units in "sleep mode" or power them down when not in use. In other words, turning out the light when the room is empty — for the Internet age.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Earth Day was founded in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, of Wisconsin. At the University of Wisconsin, the Nelson Institute coordinates research and outreach activities designed to provide information and increase our knowledge about issues of sustainability and the environment. See the Nelson Institute's website at http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/index.php for information about today's events.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

This year the American Assocation of Public Health Agencies has chosen to focus on climate change. For National Public Health Week (April 7-13, 2008), APHA has issued a downloadable toolkit and informational brochure, both available at www.nphw.org

Information professionals can help spread awareness of this public health initiative!